Manchester United's 1st caf bar in China coming soon
- Source: Global Times
- [09:21 March 10 2011]
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A man walks past an 'opening soon' poster for the Manchester United caf bar on Xizang Road South Wednesday . Photo: Cai Xianmin
By Yao Fangqin
Manchester United is hoping its first caf bar to enter the Chinese mainland will be a hit with local customers when it opens in metropolitan Shanghai in May, after its theme restaurant was forced to fold in Chengdu five years ago.
The caf bar will preempt the British football club's opening of a flagship store set to open along Guangfu Road in Zhabei district later this summer, according to Liu Yi, marketing director of Manchester United Shanghai.
Located at Shanghai Great World Entertainment Center on Xizang Road South in Huangpu district, the caf bar will feature 100 square meters of budget meals, snacks and drinks. Fans will also be able to get their hands on official team sportswear and memorabilia, including posters and souvenirs.
"A number of football activities will also be organized on a regular basis to get local fans more involved with their favorite team's sport," Liu told the Global Times Wednesday .
He said that the club is optimistic about the caf bar in Shanghai despite its failed restaurant venture the first of its kind on the Chinese mainland, which was shut down in 2006 after struggling with business for three years.
"There are a lot of Red Devil fans in Shanghai," he said. "The city is also a good location for the caf bar because its people also embrace a leisurely atmosphere when it comes to socializing and networking."
He added that the club later plans to open chain caf bars of the Shanghai version in Yangtze River Delta cities, a testament to the club's confidence in the South China market.
Asia is no new region to the club as an overseas market; it has already opened similar caf bars in Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand.
The newest addition to the club's collection of caf bars in Asia is its Hong Kong joint, which opened last year in May.